English is the first language—may have limited exposure to literate English outside of
school.
• The limitations of sources of information about words. The sources of information
about words that are readily available to students— dictionaries, word parts, and
context—pose their own problems. Each can be difficult to use, uninformative, or even
misleading.
• The complexity of word knowledge. Knowing a word involves much more than
knowing its dictionary definition, and simply memorizing a dictionary definition does not
guarantee the ability to use a word in reading or writing. Adding to the complexity is the
fact that different kinds of words place different demands on learners.
The Components of Effective Vocabulary Instruction
To be effective, a program of vocabulary instruction should provide students with
opportunities for word learning by:
o encouraging wide reading;
o exposing students to high‐quality oral language;
o promoting word consciousness;
o providing explicit instruction of specific words; and
o providing modeling and instruction in independent word‐learning strategies.
Wide Reading
As teachers, increase the reading opportunities for students in your Science Instruction.
This can be done by either reading orally to the students or having students read on their
own. In short, the single most important thing a teacher can do to improve students’
vocabularies is to get them to read more.
High Quality Oral Language
To aid in vocabulary development and academic language acquisition, teachers can
increase the quality of the oral language to which students are exposed—let them hear
spoken English that incorporates more of the vocabulary and syntax typical of written, and
particularly literate English. In short, a science teacher can help students’ acquire academic
language more effectively if s/he talks like the science textbook [though not all the time!].
Word Consciousness
Playing with language is an essential component of language development. Word
consciousness is the knowledge of and interest in words. Students who are word‐conscious
enjoy learning new words and using them in word plays. They know and use many words,
and are aware of the subtleties of word meaning and of the power words can have.
Oral and written vocabulary games promote word consciousness. Surely, students in
Science can engage in word puzzles, word searches, limericks, puns, and riddles using
vocabulary terms that they commonly struggle with. Science terms can even be used by
students to create poetry [haiku, for example]. Encouraging students to play with words
can create an interest in knowing more about them, and thus, can become a strategy for
independent word learning.
Explicit Instruction on Specific Words
To be effective, explicit vocabulary instruction should involve: